Window washing apparatus



Aug. 11, 1942. c. cRrrEs 2,

I WINDOW WASHING APPARATUS Original Filed Nov. 26, 1957 L00 Li tl ile Patented Aug. 11, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE wmnow WASHING APPARATUS Leo C. Crites, Wooster, Ohio 7 Original application November 26, 19:1, Serial No.

178,486. Divided and this application 1940, Serial No. 347,876

' (Cl. -4) V 3 Claims.

The invention relates generally to apparatus for cleaning windows and the like, and more particularly to apparatus for simultaneously washing and drying surfaces in a single operation.

The present invention includes means for spraying cleaning iiuid upon the surface to be cleaned and suction means for simultaneously withdrawing the liquid from the surface, and this application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 176,486 for Window washing apparatus, filed November 26, 1937.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a more economical and more emcient window washing apparatus of the general type disclosed in my prior application.

A more specific object is to provide a window washing apparatus having increased airflow in the suction nozzle at and around the liquid spray discharge.

Another object is to provide an improved nozzle lip construction for aiding the drying operation.

A further object is to provide improved scrub bing means associated with the spraying means.

Another object is to provide a compact housing enclosing the motive means, liquid pump, suction fan, and a cleaning fluid reservoir including an air and water separator.

A still further object is to provide an improved liquid reservoir construction including means for separating the air and water drawn from the surface cleaned, and having filter means for reconditioning the liquid for reuse.

These and other objects are attained by the improvements, parts, combinations, sub-combinations and arrangements comprising the present invention, preferred embodiments oi which are disclosed by way of example in the accompanying drawing and hereinafter described and claimed.

Figure 1 is a small sectional elevation of the improved apparatus constituting the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the improved housing enclosing the motor, water pump and suction fan, the air and water apparatus communicating with the fan, and the liquid reservoir and filter; v

Fig-3 is an elevation partly in section of a preferred embodiment of nozzle forming part of the improved apparatus;

Fig. 4 is a similar view of a slightly modified form of nozzle;

Fig. 5 is a similar view of another modification of the nozzle; 1

Fig. 6 is a similar .view of a further modification of the nozzle; and

July 27,

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevation partly in section of another modified form of nozzle embodying a scrubber driven by water power.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

'Ihe improved apparatus includes a housing unit indicated generally at H enclosing the driving motor I5 and the reservoir It for containing the cleaning fluid.

Preferably the housing it is conveniently mounted on casters M and wheels it for moving it about from place to place.

The upper part or the motor compartment is preferably closed by a partition wall It which is spaced from the top wall 28 of the housing to form a fan compartment 2i. Preferably the motor 35 is provided with an annular flange 22 at its upper end, and the flange 22 is secured to the partition wall it in a convenient manner for rigidly mounting the motor.

The upper end of the motor shaft preferably extends into the fan compartment 26, and has a suction fan 23 mounted thereon in said compartment.

The projecting lower end 26 of the motor shaft is operatively connected with a gear pump 25 within the housing M, and the inlet side or the gear pump communicates with the bottom portion oi the reservoir it by means of a pipe 26.

The top wall is of the housing is provided with an inlet air duct 2'2! communicating with the eye of the suction fan, and an air hose 28 is connected at one end with the air duct by means of a swivel coupling indicated generally at 29.

The other end oi the hose 28 is connected by means of a swivel coupling Bil to the improved nozzle iii, embodiments of which are illustrated in FigsJi to 7, inclusive.

The discharge side of the gear pump 25 communicates with ,a pipe 32 which may extend through the housing M and into the air duct 2'5, as indicated in Fig. 2.

Between the partition wall i9 and the top wall 2!], an outlet neck 36 is formed for the fan compartment M. The outlet neck 36 communicates with an airand water separator 36 which is located immediately above the water reservoir 85.

The separator chamber may be separated from the reservoir by a convex partition wall 3? having a series of notches or openings 36 around its periphery for allowing water to drain from the separator chamber into the reservoir.

The top wall 39 of the separator preferably has a central opening 40 therein formed by a depending cylindrical flange H, and this flange is surrounded by a larger cylindrical flange 42 spaced therefrom and of greater depth.

Preferably a filter screen 43 is provided in the reservoir l6, and may be supported on a. shoulder 44 in the wall thereof. The bottom portion of the reservoir may have a heating unit therein, as indicated at 45, which may be of the cartridge type. This heating unit serves to heat the cleaning fluid which is supplied to the nozzle so as to obtain greater facility and efficiency in the cleaning operation.

When it is desired to use a cleaning powder, the same may be made readily accessible by providing a storage receptacle 45 on the housing l4, and accessible from the exterior by means of a hinged lid 41.

Referring now to the nozzles shown in Figs. 3 to 7, inclusive, the nozzle is indicated generally at 53 and is adapted at its upper end to be connected to the air hose 28 by means of a swivel coupling, as indicated generally at 30 in Fig. 1.

A water hose 52 is connected to the water pipe 32 leading from the outlet side of water pump 25, and the water hose extends through the air hose 28 and into the suction nozzle 53 for connection with a water pipe 54.

The water pipe 54 communicates with a spray nozzle 55 within the suction nozzle and is provided on its under side with a plurality of small discharge apertures 56 for spraying water againstthe objective surface located within the nozzle mouth, as indicated at 51.

A squeegee or the like formed of rubber or similar material is located around the lips 58 of the nozzle, preferably within the nozzle lips, for contact with the surface to be cleaned.

As best shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 7, the squeegee may be formed of two parts, a straight, pref erably solid, forward member 59 and a rear member 60 which conforms to the rear nozzle lip 58.

The outer or contact edge of the squeegee member 60 is preferably notched at intervals. as indicated at SI for admitting air into the nozzle at the cleaning surface and thus allowing the suction fan to induce a greater air flow so as to increase the drying action.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, air ports 64 may be provided through the front nozzle lip 58, immediately below the spray nozzle 55, for inducing air flow from the atmosphere into the nozzle and down and around the sprays of water 51 which are directed downwardly in the nozzle, slightly rearward of the front squeegee 59.

A valve 65 is preferably provided in the water line 54, for the purpose of governing the flow of water to the spray nozzle 55. and this valve may be of any usual construction including a conical valve plug normally held in position to shut off the flow of water through the water line, a button 66 being provided for opening the valve by depressing the button.

A rotary brush, or other scrubbing means, is located in the nozzle mouth for operating adjacent to, or in conjunction with the spray nozzle. Such a rotary brush is indicated at 51 in Figs. 3, 4, and 7, and a rotary scrubber of flexible material, such as rubber, is indicated at 68 in Fig. 6.

The rotary scrubber 68 may be provided with longitudinally or spirally arranged ribs 69 for rubbing or wiping the surface to be cleaned.

In Figs. 3 and 4, the rotary brush 61 is driven by means of a V-shaped friction pulley secured on the brush shaft Ill and cooperating with an oppositely shaped pulley II.

The pulley H is driven from the motor l5 by means of a flexible shaft 12 extending through the nozzle 53, hose 28 and air duct 21 and operatively connected to the motor shaft, as shown in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 3, the discharge spray 51 is arranged to impinge upon the brush, and in the form shown in Fig. 4, the brush is located behind the sprays 51, a baffle 63a being provided between the sprays and the brush.

The rotary scrubber 68 in Fig. 6 is driven in the same manner by means of a friction pulley H and a flexible shaft 12, and in this modification, the rear lip 58a of the nozzle is spaced slightly away from the objective-surface to provide additional air currents, and no rear squeegee member is provided.

In the form shown in Fig. 5, the rotary brush 6! is driven by a small electric motor 13 mounted within the nozzle and operatively connected to the brush by means of a belt 14.

This motor may be of the type used on small grinders and the like. Obviously the brushes or the scrubber 58 shown in the Figs. 3, 4, and 6 may be driven by a similar motor to that indicated at 13.

In the nozzle construction shown in Fig. 7, the rotary brush 6! is driven by a water motor I5 located in the water line 54 and operatively connected to the brush by means of a belt 14.

The water motor 15 preferably includes a rotor 16 which is driven by the flow of water through the pipe 54 to the spray nozzle 55.

In each of the constructions shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 7, notches 6| are provided in the lower edge of the rear squeegee member for inducing air currents at and around the brush 6'! to aid in drying the surface being cleaned.

In the construction of Figs. 3 and 4 air ports 54 are provided in the front nozzle lip for inducing air currents around the discharging sprays 51.

The cleaning operation may be carried out by using the suction nozzle as shown in any of Figs. 3 to '7, inclusive, with the squeegee members 59 and 60 around its mouth, the spray nozzle 55 located therein, and the rotary scrubber means 61 or 58 within the nozzle mouth.

With this construction the electric motor l5 drives the fan 23 to suck air through the nozzle from the objective surface located within the squeegee members of the nozzle.

The cleaning fluid which is sprayed on the ob jective surface loosens the dirt thereon which is removed by the squeegee members supplemented by the scrubbing action of the rotary brush or scrubber, and the air currents induced by the suction fan and flowing through the notches ll, and apertures 54, serve to simultaneously dry the surface being cleaned.

Particles of moisture entrained in the air currents are discharged with the air through the discharge mouth 34 of the fan into the separator 36, where the liquid particles are separated from the air and drain through the apertures 34 into the reservoir l6.

The filter 43 filters out the dirt in the cleaning liquid and the cleaned liquid collects in the bottom of the reservoir and it is heated by the heating unit 45 and then returned through the pump 25 and pipe 32 to be discharged again through the spray nozzle 55 in the nozzle mouth.

Thus, in one operation as the cleaning nozzle is moved over, an objective surface, the surface is sprayed, scrubbed and dried, and the water or cleaning fluid is returned to the separator and then to the reservoir where it is filtered, heated and pumped back to the spray nozzle.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for cleaning including suction means, a suction nozzle connected thereto, a'

liquid wiper mounted on and around the nozzles edge for contacting the surface to be cleaned, said liquid wiper comprising a straight rubber squeegee mounted on the forward lip of the nozzle and a second rubber squeegee mounted on and conforming to the shape of the rear lip of the nozzle and having spaced notches in its outer edge for inducing air currents in the suction nozzle, scrubbing means mounted within the liquid wiper, a liquid nozzle in the suction nozzle for discharging liquid within the liquid wiper adjacent to'the forward side thereof.

2. In a cleaning apparatus, a suction nozzle, an I intermediate contactor mounted on and around said suction nozzle and comprising a straight rubber squeegee mounted on the forward lip of the nozzle and a second rubber squeegee mounted on and conforming to the shape of the rear lip of the nozzle and having spaced notches in its outer edge for contacting a surface to be cleaned, a

liquid nozzle in said suction nozzle for discharging a spray of liquid within the nozzle adjacent to the forward squeegee, a power scrubber associated with said suction nozzle, and an auxiliary power unit to actuate said power scrubber.

3. Apparatus for cleaning including suction means, a suction nozzle connected thereto, a liquid wiper mounted on and around the nozzles edge for contacting the surface to be cleaned, said liquid. wiper comprising a straight rubber squeegee mounted on the forward lip of the nozzle and a second rubber squeegee mounted on and conforming to the shape of the rear lip of the nozzle and having spaced notches in its outer edge for inducing air currents in the suction nozzle, there being air inlet openings in the forward lip of the nozzle, scrubbing means within the liquid wiper, and a liquid nozzle in the suction nozzle for discharging liquid within the liquid wiper adjacent to the forward side thereof.

LEO C. CRITES. 

